Tulbaghia plant named ‘Himba’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Tulbaghia  plant named ‘Himba’, characterized by its purple-violet colored flowers with a prominent yellow-orange corona, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit, is disclosed.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Tulbaghia hybrid.

Variety denomination: ‘Himba’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Tulbaghia plant botanically known as Tulbaghia hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘Himba’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program in Pretoria, South Africa during the summer of 2004. The objective of the breeding program was the development of Tulbaghia cultivars that have abundant flowers with attractive coloration and thinner foliage.

The new interspecific Tulbaghia cultivar is the result of cross-pollination. The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar is a Tulbaghia violacea var. maritima breeding selection, not coded, not patented, characterized by its medium purple-colored flowers having a yellow corona, dark green-colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar is a Tulbaghia simmleri breeding selection, not coded, not patented, characterized by its dark purple-colored flowers, light gray-green colored foliage, and vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross-pollination during the summer of 2006 in a controlled environment in Pretoria, South Africa.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by division since the summer of 2007 in Pretoria, South Africa and Valley Center, Calif. has demonstrated that the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all of the characteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained through successive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedly observed and can be used to distinguish ‘Himba’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Tulbaghia plant:

-   -   1. Purple-violet colored flowers with a prominent yellow-orange         corona;     -   2. Medium green-colored foliage; and     -   3. Vigorous, upright-mounding growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female and male parents primarily in flower color. In addition, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parent in having longer leaves and a longer scape, and from plants of the male parent in having a darker leaf color.

Of the many commercially available Tulbaghia cultivars, the most similar in comparison to the new cultivar is ‘Jenny’, not patented. However, in comparison, plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Jenny’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar do not have overlapping tepals         like plants of ‘Jenny’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a different corona color than         plants of ‘Jenny’.

Tulbaghia plant ‘Hinetul1’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 25,293 was not found to be commercially available; however, based on plant patent data plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of ‘Hinetul1’ in at least the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have a flower color different from         plants of ‘Hinetul1’; and     -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have a leaf color different from         plants of ‘Hinetul1’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonably possible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typical flower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed description, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Himba’. The plants were grown in one gallon containers for 10 months in a poly- greenhouse in Guadalupe, Calif.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habit of ‘Himba’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual umbel of ‘Himba’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature, light intensity, and day length, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, 2007 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significance are used. The color values were determined in April 2015 under natural light conditions in West Chicago, Ill.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants produced by division of stock plants and grown in a poly-covered greenhouse without supplemental heating or cooling. Temperatures for this period ranged from an average high of 75° F. (24° C.) to an average low of 52° F. (11° C.). The plants were grown in Guadalupe, Calif. in one gallon containers for approximately 10 months utilizing a soilless growth medium. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plants.

-   Botanical classification: Tulbaghia violacea cultivar Himba. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—A Tulbaghia violacea var. maritima breeding             selection, not coded, not patented.         -   Male parent.—A Tulbaghia simmleri breeding selection, not             coded, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Divisions.         -   Root description.—Corm-like rhizome with thick roots white             to light brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Commercial crop time.—Approximately 52 to 60 weeks from a             division to finish in a one-gallon container.         -   Cold hardiness.—To USDA Zone 7.         -   Growth habit and general appearance.—Vigorous,             upright-mounding, clumps of arching leaves and flowering             stalks.         -   Size.—Height from soil level to top of plant plane:             Approximately 54.0 cm. Height from soil level to top of             foliage: Approximately 36.0 cm. Width: Approximately 63.0             cm.         -   Branching habit.—No branching, basal rosettes of leaves.             Number of clumps per pot: Approximately 2. Number of             rosettes per clump: Approximately 5. -   Foliage description:     -   -   General description.—Quantity of leaves per rosette:             Approximately 8. Fragrance: Strong garlic-scented when             leaves bruised. Form: Simple. Arrangement: 2-ranked.         -   Leaves.—Aspect: Emerging leaves erect, then cascade. Shape:             Linear. Margin: Entire. Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Sessile,             sheathed. Venation pattern: Parallel. Length of mature leaf:             Approximately 33.5 cm. Width of mature leaf: Approximately             1.1 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color             of upper surface of young and mature foliage: 137B with 144C             at base, venation indistinguishable. Color of lower surface             of young and mature foliage: 137B to 137C with 144D at base,             venation indistinguishable. -   Flowering description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—‘Himba’ is freely flowering under outdoor             growing conditions with substantially continuous blooming             from spring through autumn.         -   Lastingness of an umbel on the plant.—Approximately 2 to 3             weeks. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Umbel, semi-spherical. Positioned             above foliage. Quantity of fully open umbels per plant:             Approximately 1. Quantity of developing umbels per plant:             Approximately: 2. Fragrance: Slight. Length or height:             Approximately 4.1 cm. Width: Approximately 6.0 cm. Quantity             of fully open flowers per inflorescence: Approximately 11.         -   Scape.—Strength: Strong. Shape in cross-section: Round,             slightly flattened. Aspect: Erect to 60° angle. Length:             Approximately 58.0 cm. Diameter: Approximately 4.0 mm.             Texture: Glabrous, glaucous. Color: Closest to 146A with             144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   General description.—Type: Single, apetalous. Shape:             Salverform. Diameter: Approximately 1.5 cm. Depth:             Approximately 1.5 cm.         -   Bud.—Rate of opening: Generally takes 3 to 4 days for bud to             progress from first color to fully open flower.         -   Bud just before opening.—Shape: Obovate. Length:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Width: Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture:             Glabrous, glaucous. Color: N82A.         -   Tepals.—Quantity: 6 lobed in 2 slightly imbricate whorls.             Shape: Narrowly ovate. Appearance: Dull. Margin: Entire.             Apex: Broadly acute. Base: Fused. Length of outer tepals:             Approximately 8.0 mm. Width of outer tepals: Approximately             3.0 mm. Length of inner tepals: Approximately 7.0 mm. Width             of inner tepals: Approximately 5.0 mm. Texture of upper and             lower surfaces: Glabrous. Color of upper surface when first             open: N81B with margins of N81D. Color of lower surface when             first open: Between N81B and N81C with margins of N81D.             Color of upper surface when fully open: N81C with margins of             lighter than N81D. Color of lower surface when fully open:             N81C with margins of N81D.         -   Corona.—Quantity: 3 distinct scales located opposite inner             lobes. Margin: Entire. Apex: Notched. Base: Fused. Length:             Approximately 2.0 mm. Width at base (widest point):             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:             Glabrous. Color of upper and lower surfaces: Marbling of 23A             and faint N81C, overall appearance is yellow-orange.         -   Perianth tube.—Length: Approximately 8.0 mm. Width:             Approximately 3.0 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: Lighter than             N81D with an overlay of N79A.         -   Pedicel.—Strength: Strong. Appearance: Subtended by small             membranous bract. Aspect: Acute angle to horizontal. Length:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Diameter: Less than 1.0 mm. Texture:             Glabrous, glaucous. Color: N137A spotted with 187B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity: 6 per flower,             filaments adnate to perianth tube, anthers in 2 groups,             upper group top of anther positioned 1.0 mm from tube             opening and lower group top of anther positioned 3.0 mm from             tube opening. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Anther color: 14A. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: 14B. Gynoecium: Pistil quantity: 1             per flower. Pistil length: Approximately 5.0 mm. Stigma             shape: Capitate, papillate. Stigma length: Approximately             1.0 mm. Stigma color: Colorless, translucent. Style length:             Approximately 1.0 mm. Style color: Colorless, opaque. Ovary             length: Approximately 3.0 mm. Ovary color: 144B with an             overlay of 165A. -   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has     been observed. -   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests     common to Tulbaghia has not been observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Tulbaghia plant named ‘Himba’, substantially as herein illustrated and described. 